The invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a profiled preform and a profiled FRP-component, a pultrusion system, as well as a pressing device for carrying out the method.
The invention particularly pertains to a pultrusion method for manufacturing a profiled preform with cross-sectional segments that extend angularly to one another from a plurality of semifinished products in a quasi-continuous process, as well as to a pultrusion method for manufacturing a profiled FRP-component with cross-sectional segments that extend angularly to one another from a plurality of semifinished products in a quasi-continuous process.
Furthermore, the invention particularly pertains to a pultrusion system for manufacturing a profiled preform or fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) component with cross-sectional segments that extend angularly to one another from a plurality of semifinished products, as well as to a pressing device for pressing a semifinished product arrangement with cross-sectional, segments that extend angularly to one another.
From WO 2007/119371 A1 a process for manufacturing a perform, and apparatus therefore is known, wherein a perform with a branched portion in its cross-section profile is continuously manufactured by delivering a raw form of reinforcing fiber base material with a branched portion in its cross-section profile, among multiple reinforcing fiber base materials for constructing the perform, intermittently in the longitudinal direction thereof.
DE 4017978 A1 describes a device for manufacturing profiled parts (profiles PR) from thermoplastic semifinished products with a two-part or multipart moulding press, the parts of which form a heating zone (HZ), a pressing zone (PZ) and a cooling zone (KZ), wherein the shape of the gap formed by the parts of the moulding press continuously changes from the initial profile (rectangular cross section) to the desired profile (PR).
DE 19754381 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing a profiled part, particularly a pultrusion method, in which a plurality of fibers and/or one or more fabric webs is/are continuously wetted with a liquid plastic and formed in accordance with the profiled part, wherein the fibers and/or the fabric webs and/or the liquid plastic is/are subjected to vibrations in order to dissolve bubbles or defects in the fibers and/or the fabric webs and/or the intermediate spaces. The fabric webs are unwound from rolls or the like and fed to a connecting device. The fibers are also fed to this connecting device by means of other guiding devices. The fibers and the fabric webs are brought together and interlinked with the aid of the connecting device. The connected fibers and fabric webs are fed to a tool arranged downstream of the connecting device. This tool may consist, for example, of a mould core or the like. The fibers are formed together with the fabric webs with the aid of the tool. The fibers and the fabric webs are, in particular, folded. The tool is realized in such a way that the desired shape of the profiled part is achieved after the forming of the fibers and fabric webs.
WO 2007/107007 discloses a pultrusion device with three thermal zones that are thermally insulated from one another, wherein a pre-determined temperature profile is realized with said thermal zones in order to form and subsequently harden a semifinished product being guided through the pultrusion device.
A system for continuously forming an H-shaped fiber-reinforced element is known from DE 601 18 048 T2. The system comprises a device for mounting a number of spools, on which a strip-shaped, pre-impregnated material is wound, wherein said material is manufactured by impregnating thermosetting resin in carbon fibers or glass fibers or the like. A system furthermore features a device for forming the pre-impregnated material into a predetermined H-shape, a pressing device for pressing the pre-impregnated element from four sides, a heating furnace for post-curing the pre-impregnated element and a cutting device for cutting the hardened product into predetermined lengths. When using prepreg semifinished products, a certain resin content is predefined with these products. Furthermore, the manufacture of a component that sectionally or entirely has a relatively large component thickness requires a number of prepregs that can only be processed to a limited degree during the forming of the pre-impregnated material into a predetermined H-shape. In such instances, it may occur, in particular, that folds are created in the curvature regions of the semifinished product arrangement formed into the H-shape. With certain component thicknesses to be realized, it may not be possible to carry out the desired forming of the prepreg arrangement at all. During the forming of the prepreg arrangement, fiber warpages and/or fiber undulations can generally occur. The aforementioned problems with the utilization of prepregs in the method according to DE 601 18 048 T2 lead to a deterioration of the component quality.
A two-stage manufacturing process for manufacturing a plastic component is known from EP 1 621 323 A1, wherein a preform of individual fibers and a [text missing] is initially manufactured, and wherein said preform is impregnated with resin by means of a resin injection method and hardened in a system specifically provided for this purpose in a second step. In the resin injection method, the quantity of the resin injected into the preform cannot be precisely controlled such that it is impossible or at least very difficult to manufacture high-quality components with this method.
DE 698 14 129 T2 discloses a method for manufacturing a plastic component, in which a preform is manufactured from individual unidirectional fibers and prepreg grates, wherein said preform is subsequently impregnated with resin in an injection method and hardened. In this case, the quantity of the respectively injected resin also cannot be precisely controlled and, in particular, not sectionally adjusted. Consequently, a high component quality cannot be achieved with this method. In addition, this method is subject to the aforementioned control expenditures. The injection phase is furthermore time-consuming, particularly with relatively large preforms or components.